Cundall’s Australian offices are celebrating national recognition of our unique company culture after winning the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award at the 2022 AIRAH Awards.

Human Resources Manager Elisa Pacheco-Castillo accepted the Award on behalf of the Australian team. She says it is wonderful to receive recognition from industry peers that our people-focused approach is seen and valued.

“We are committed to being one of the most inclusive consultancies in the industry - this award is confirmation that we are an industry leader.”

In a professional services sector working hard to challenge entrenched legacy perceptions around gender and culture, Cundall has established policies and processes to ensure everyone feels they have a place in the business and a supportive peer group.

Pacheco-Castillo says the Affinity networks, for example, make sure that everyone has a network that represents them, including gender (GAIN), culture (MOSAIC), LGBTQ+ (Kaleidoscope), and most recently neurodiversity (DIVERGENT).

“We also work hard to make sure that diversity is not only reflected in our people, but also in our approach to projects and client care. The award is further evidence of our progress since we put the Diversity and Inclusion strategy in place at a global level in 2020, also recently being awarded as one of Australia’s Top 40 organisations to give back,” she says.

“Just looking at the team from our Sydney office who attended the Awards night is proof we really do practice what we preach.”

AIRAH Chief Executive Tony Gleeson congratulated all the award winners across 11 categories, noting that it has taken time for the HVAC&R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) industry as a whole to “be properly recognised.”

He says that is set to change as we approach a climate tipping point.

“As the world begins to comprehend just how much effort is required to rein in our greenhouse gas emissions and prevent more extreme climate change, people are looking for sectors that can make a difference,” he says. “HVAC&R is one of those. It’s a daunting challenge. But looking at the winners and finalists of the 2022 AIRAH Awards, I believe the HVAC&R industry has what it takes.”